And Love Shall Lift Us Up
by L. Burke
Summary: Maybe the most important part of any hunter’s story was the love that lifts them up. Brotherhood AU.


Title: And Love Shall Lift Us Up

By: L. Burke

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but some really bad jokes.

Summary: Maybe the most important part of any hunter's story was the love that lifts them up. Brotherhood AU one shot.

Warnings: None.

Author's Notes: This story references the episode "Dream a Little Dream of Me".

The story of Orion the Hunter used here is not mine. Its copy righted by J. Kearns and is used without permission. No profit is being made. You can find the complete story and a bunch of other classics he rewrote to be kid-friendly at J. Kearns Website:

www (dot)ink(dot)imagedjinn(dot)com(back slash)myths(back slash)orion.htm

* * *

"This was _not_ the type of help I had in mind when I brought you two along," Jim Murphy grumbled half-heartedly to the cohorts in crime sitting across the strawberry patch.

Dean Winchester and Atticus Finch tilted their heads in unison at Jim. Then the boonie-clad, five year-old Winchester held up a large strawberry like prize. Then his large expressive green eyes lit up with glee as the five year-old took a large bite out of the extra big berry.

Bobby Singer chuckled and dropped few more berries in his bucket. He shook his head. "Quite the help you recruited there, Jim. The two of them are eating more than they're picking."

The pastor chuckled. "Yes, I suppose they are."

Caleb Reaves smirked and tried to keep from laughing out loud at Dean's antics. Dean had made remarkable progress in the last couple of months. Everyone was waiting for the day when Dean's silence would finally break and the little boy would find his voice again.

The teen shot Jim a sideward glance. "Dean and Atticus don't need weighed in before they let all of us out of here do they?"

"I hope not," the Pastor replied with an amused shake of his head. "If they do, I might be calling Mackland and begging for a large cash advance." Then the pastor rolled his eyes and shook his head at Atticus when a berry, rivaling the size of Dean's, appeared in the dog's mouth.

"Hey," Bobby complained, "Save some berries for the rest of us you two."

Dean signed his response back in Sign Language.

Caleb laughed at the little imp's reply.

Yup, Dean was getting better.

Bobby blinked. "What did the rug-rat say? I didn't quite catch it."

"Dean said the deal was for him to _pick_ berries," Caleb informed the mechanic. "There was nothing stated about him putting them in the bucket. Besides, he's eating your share."

Very slowly Bobby signed back as he said orally, "Oh, really?" Then the mechanic turned to Caleb and asked, "Did I sign that correctly? This signing stuff can be trickier than Latin."

Caleb nodded. He liked being a bridge. It made him feel important, special, in a way. He was better at sign language than any of the adults, excluding Mac.

Dean with his eyes laughing held up another large strawberry and waved it at Bobby.

Bobby signed, "Come here, you scamp."

Dean's big green eyes danced with mischief. He shook his head and waved the berry again.

"Okay, that's it," the mechanic announced, and then he took off after Dean.

Jim shot a long suffering look at Caleb as Bobby tackled Dean and tickled him. "At times I wonder how many children I'm actually helping raise." Then the pastor looked thoughtful watching Dean and Bobby roll around in the dirt. Atticus danced around them. "It's nice to see Robert smile again. It's been a while."

Caleb took Jim's word on that. Bobby Singer had been very slow to warm up to him. At first, Caleb thought it was him and the events that lead up to his adoption by the Brotherhood. Later he had realized the mechanic was that gruff with everyone. Bobby, for whatever reason, didn't like being around people. Caleb had learned the hard way to stay out of Bobby's way or else be on the receiving end of blunt cutting comments or cuffs upside the head. Caleb, though curious, didn't ask why. He had a feeling if he went digging he might find Bobby's scars resembled something too close his own.

Dean, on the other hand, was a totally different story. Bobby had warmed up to their green-eyed imp from their first meeting. The little boy would sit and listen for hours as Bobby rambled on about cars. The two of them made a connection of two wounded souls from the moment the silent child had handed Bobby a wrench. Dean seemed to bring out a side of Bobby that most people couldn't reach and didn't get to see.

Jim scooped up the scrawny five year-old with a smile when Dean broke away from Bobby and ran. The pastor oblivious to the dirty, sticky mess Dean was.

Dean threw his arms around Jim's neck.

Jim licked his thumb and then rubbed it gently over a dirt smudge on Dean's nose. "I think there's a little boy under there."

Dean in response stuck his tongue out at Bobby from over the pastor's shoulder.

"Don't think Jim can protect you," Bobby snorted from the ground.

Jim hugged Dean. Then the pastor looked in the direction of the numerous containers of berries they had already picked. "Wasn't that nice of Robert? He just volunteered to help me clean all these berries for the church' strawberry festival."

Dean smiled at Jim and nodded.

"Oh yeah, that's me Mr. Magnanimous," Bobby groused as he got up and brushed the dirt off. "Why do I agree to get drafted for this every year?"

"The festival's all you can eat homemade Strawberry Shortcake," Caleb replied.

"Yeah," Bobby replied with a loop-sided grin, "That definitely would be the reason."

"So are you going to help us fill these berry containers?" Jim asked the little boy in his arms. Then in a hushed whisper, "There might be homemade ice-cream after dinner tonight if you do."

"Oh yeah," Bobby grumbled loudly, "You bribe the brat with ice-cream."

"And look, Robert is even volunteering to help me make the jam." Jim smiled sweetly. The pastor hugged Dean a little closer. "So do we have a deal?"

The five year-old eagerly squirmed out of the pastor's arms. Dean grabbed his bucket and headed back over to the other side of the strawberry patch with Atticus. Dean signed something to the dog. A large strawberry appeared in Atticus's mouth. Then the dog dropped the drool covered berry into Dean's bucket.

Yuck.

Jim grimaced. Then pastor lifted up his hat, and ran a hand through his hair as he watched Atticus drop another berry in. "Remind me. Dean's bucket is getting marked, cleaned, and going straight in to jam."

"He's absolutely adorable."

Bobby didn't say anything but turned towards the voice. His cool calculating eyes never left the target as a thirty-something woman approached them. His eyes always threat assessing. The mechanic's concealed weapon in easy reach.

Jim, on the other hand, smiled at her warmly. "Yes, he is."

She gave Dean a look of pity for a moment. Caleb cringed. He had been out with John enough to know what was coming next. "Is there any hope?"

The question flew right over Jim's head. "I'm sure Dean will have his bucket filled before we leave."

Bobby, on the other hand, crossed his arms over his chest and shot her a look that had sent more than one evil baddy running in to the night.

Dean gave no sign he heard her and continued picking berries. Caleb and Bobby both knew it wasn't true. Dean had the ears of a bat. The five year-old never missed anything.

Caleb moved down the patch and angled himself between the woman and Dean. He wasn't going to let her yell in Dean's face. Not like the last time well-meaning moron had done. The last guy had decided the best way to get Dean to talk to him was to get in his face and yell really, really loud.

She shook her head and smiled at Jim again. "No. Is there any hope? You know. Medicine has come a long way."

Jim's eyes widened and he sputtered, "Excuse me?"

If looks could kill, the woman would have been nothing but smoldering ash. Bobby growled, "The only thing we're hopeful for…"

"Robert," Jim interrupted sharply.

Caleb didn't catch what Bobby replied.

He really didn't care.

The only thing that interested him was reaching Dean and getting him out of ear shot. It was moments like this that made him question why Mac wanted him to fit in to the 'normal' world so badly. The supernatural he got.

Ordinary people?

Hell no.

Give him freaks any day.

"Come on," he stated to Dean. Then Caleb pointed to the far end of the field. "We're all going to pick berries over there."

Dean tilted his head curiously.

The teenager didn't bother to give an explanation. He picked up Dean's bucket and grabbed the little boy's arm.

Atticus whined as Caleb dragged Dean along. Dean responded to the rough handling by digging his heels in. Suddenly Dean forcefully wrestled his arm out of Caleb's grip. Then the five year-old signed angrily, _'You're hurting me.'_

Caleb reached to grab Dean's arm again and the five year danced out of reach. He took a deep breath. He did not need Dean to be difficult right now. Caleb gestured to the child to give him his hand. "Come on."

Dean shook his head.

"Dean," Caleb growled impatiently.

'_Her words didn't bother me,_' Dean replied stubbornly. _'Why did they bother __**you**__ so much?'_

Caleb stiffened. He remembered all the times someone, usually a potential foster family or case worker, had causally flipped open his file and asked, 'Is there really any hope'. They had talked about him like he was an idiot. They made decisions for him without even asking. Everyone had until Mac came in to his life. Mac was the first person that ever asked what _he_ wanted.

Wasn't that the exact same thing he was doing to Dean now?

Crap.

Caleb's anger suddenly evaporated. "You're right. The lady's words made me angry and I took it out on you. I'm sorry."

Dean smiled and offered his hand.

Apology accepted.

With Atticus nipping at their heels they slowly made their way towards Jim.

When they finally reached that part of the field where Jim was, the pastor and the woman were both looking upset and Bobby was nowhere to be seen.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't realize my perfume would affect your friend like that," the woman said over and over apologetically.

Jim shot her a reassuring smile. "It's okay. There's no way any of us could have known your perfume would trigger an event." The pastor turned and addressed them. "Caleb."

"Sir," Caleb replied and stepped forward.

"I'm going to escort Jenny back over to her friend," Jim stated crisply. "Then I'm going to the truck to check on Robert. Stay here with Dean and finish filling any containers we have left. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Caleb looked back and forth from Jim to Jenny. Then he looked around trying to locate Bobby. "Yes, Sir. Is Bobby okay?"

Jim sighed. "I hope so."

The ride home to the farm was tense to say the least.

Jim made a show of small talk for a while. After that the pastor muttered something about introducing some culture. Then he turned the truck's radio on to the classical station and turned the volume up.

Bobby, however, didn't say one word. The mechanic stared out the window with an eerie expression on his face. Whatever nightmare Bobby was revisiting, it wasn't a pleasant one. Dean kept giving the silent mechanic concerned sideways glances. One look at Bobby's face and Caleb knew he never would go snooping there. Ever.

John greeted them at the door with Sammy in his arms. "So how'd berry picking go?"

Bobby only responded, "Fuck off, Winchester" and stalked past John and up the stairs.

Dean's concerned green eyes continued to follow Bobby.

Jim and John exchanged a look.

John lifted an eyebrow. "I can tell the berry picking went well."

Jim frowned. "You could say that."

Like they had a silent line of communication, the Guardian's and the Knight's eyes met. John with a knowing look gestured towards the stairs with his head.

Jim nodded grimly. The pastor squared his shoulders and his customary, unreadable mask slid in to place. "How about I throw some burgers on the grill for dinner?"

"Sounds good," John nodded. "I'll go fire up the grill. You get the burgers ready."

Dean's eyes drifted to Jim and then towards the stairs in an unspoken question.

"Don't worry. Bobby will join us when he's ready." Jim smiled down at Dean. There was a sparkle of a smile in his eyes when he did. "Besides, I remember promising someone ice-cream."

--888--

A few hours later Caleb was sprawled across his bed trying very hard to ignore the persistent five year-old that was trying to get his attention. "Go away, Deuce."

Dean tugged on his shirt harder.

Caleb looked up from the comic book he was reading. "What?"

Dean gestured across the hall towards Sammy in his crib.

Caleb rolled his eyes. "Let me guess. You need me to lift Sammy out for you?"

Dean nodded.

He sighed and got up.

His ears were still sore from Mac's last lecture. His father had walked in on Dean helping Sammy out of the crib unsupervised. To say his father hit the roof put it mildly.

"Must I? The toddling terror is quiet in there." Caleb studied the youngest Winchester through the crib bars. The baby was awake, sitting up, and eyeing his crib bars distastefully.

The baby huffed and shot Caleb a sour look that promised the 'quiet' was about to change.

Caleb carefully kicked the pillows and stuffed animals out that Dean had placed on the floor outside of the crib. Deuce had put them there in an attempt to cushion the baby's fall if Sammy actually made it over the side. Sammy wasn't even two yet and was already showing signs of a promising career in jail breaks.

He looked down at Dean. "You realize the little monster got crated for a reason don't you?"

Dean shrugged and gestured at the crib again.

Caleb lowered the side of the crib. He turned and addressed Dean. "You know Mac's rules. You need to ask for what you want."

Dean looked down at the floor, and signed '_Please_'.

"Good try, Deuce," Caleb said patiently. "I'm up here. This time make eye contact."

Dean exhaled loudly. Then he looked up at Caleb, and once again signed, '_Please_.'

Caleb scooped the baby up. "Okay. Where to?"

Dean grabbed up a book and pointed at the stairs.

He carefully made his way down the narrow stairway carrying Sammy. All the while Sammy looked around, pleased about being out of his crib.

Dean pointed towards Bobby's room.

"Deuce, I don't think that's such a good idea," Caleb muttered. After the ride home Caleb wanted to stay out of the mechanics way.

Dean pointed at Bobby's door again.

From down stairs a soft, melancholy melody drifted up from John's guitar. The mournful blues fit the mood tonight.

Caleb shook his head. "No. I'm the one who is going to get yelled at."

Sammy gave both of them an irritated look and ordered, "Oown'. In Sammy talk that meant 'Down'.

Caleb grumbled to the toddler in is arms, "You simply can not wait to get down, and tear the place apart can you, Runt?"

The baby gave him an annoyed look and once again ordered to be put down.

Dean insistently pointed at Bobby's door.

"Fine," Caleb sighed. "If Bobby tears us all a new one," then he glared down at Dean. "I'm placing the blame squarely on you two."

Dean nodded, clutched the book to his chest, and walked over to Bobby's open door.

The mechanic was sitting on his bed looking at something in his wallet. The only word that would describe the look on Bobby's face was 'devastation'. He looked up and saw the three of them in the door way. "Dean?"

Dean nodded and clutched his book to his chest a little harder.

Bobby shot Caleb a questioning look.

"Don't look at me," the teenager shrugged. "Dean was the one that insisted we come down here."

Bobby ran a tired hand over his face. He opened a drawer and threw the wallet in the bedside table. "What can I do for you?"

Taking that as permission to enter the room, Dean stepped forward and handed the book to Bobby. Then the little boy looked down at the carpet and signed, '_Please?_'

For a few moments Caleb thought Bobby was going to refuse. Instead the mechanic sighed, gestured for Dean to climb up on the bed next to him and opened the book.

Sammy gave Caleb an expectant look.

Caleb rolled his eyes and put the toddler down on the bed between Bobby and Dean. Sammy smiled happily. Then Caleb sprawled across the foot of the bed. From here he could look out the window at the stars.

Bobby raised a questioning eyebrow.

The teenager shot Bobby a snotty look. He was NOT sticking around to hear a bedtime story. "Someone needs to make sure the Runt doesn't go tumbling off the bed on to his head."

"Right," Bobby replied dryly as he rolled his eyes. Then he flipped open the book and started to read.

"_Some say the mother of burly Mountain Man, Orion, was the great earth herself, Gaia, and his father the great Atlas whose feet were planted on the sea floor, the heavens resting upon his broad, muscle-knotted shoulders. Then others say Orion's mother was one of the three snake-haired Terrors, the Gorgon Euryali, Wide-ranging One of the wide threshing floor, or perhaps, again, Gaia, and his father the great ruling spirit of the ocean, Poseidon."_

Caleb knew it was going to be the story of Orion the Hunter again.

"_The Mountain Man was born long ago. When it was cold, during the time of the great glaciers when ice blanketed the northern lands, he was already walking the earth. His chest, back and shoulders were covered with thick hair, as were his arms and legs. The hair on his head was long and tangled. He was a brother to the wild animals, drinking water from the springs alongside them, eating alongside them. They had no fear of him."_

Dean, for some reason, was obsessed with this story.

_Marriage is said to have a civilizing influence. So, Mountain Man was married to Side, a mortal versed in secret rites and prayers, and esteemed powerful enough, more than attractive enough to introduce Mountain Man to the world of human affairs. When Side was finished with him, Mountain Man was no longer Mountain Man, but Orion."_

Bobby shot Dean an uncertain look. Dean nodded. Then the mechanic cleared his throat and continued.

"_When he attempted to return to the world of his wild animal brothers, they fled from him now. Saying, "He is no longer one of us," the wolves and lions hid. Orion had the perfume of Side and the scent of civilization on him. He was of both realms now, yet did not fully belong to either."_

Caleb could relate to that. At times he felt the exact same way. Being of two worlds and never quite fitting in to either.

"_So, with his immense knowledge of the wild, Orion became a great hunter who would be praised by men. He wore about his waist a hunter's belt which had, at its middle and to either side, three fine decorative pieces of metalwork which shone like fire at night and distinguished Orion's belt from all others. On his belt was hung his hunting dagger, the metal of which now shines in the sky as the Orion Nebula. His favorite assistants in the hunt were his two dogs, the foremost called Sirius, who always followed him, his constant companions."_

Speaking of constant companions...

Caleb watched out of the corner of his eye as Atticus waddled in to the room and dropped down on the floor next to the bed. He was surprised the dog could even move between the strawberries from earlier and the ice-cream Dean had happily shared with him after dinner.

Bobby suddenly slammed the book shut. Everyone jumped. "You know what? I think we need to find another story."

Dean pointed at the book.

"Dean," Bobby said softly, "You know this yarn. Why don't you go find us another one?"

Dean shook his head.

Bobby took a deep, shaky breath. "Kiddo, we all know Orion dies at the end." A haunted, sad look crossed Bobby's face. "Artemis kills the love of her life because her brother Apollo tricks her in to doing it.

Dean nodded. Then he signed, _'But you missed the most important part of the story. Artemis's love lifts Orion up to the stars. She makes sure he's never forgotten.'_

Bobby blinked. He was quiet for a long time. Then he swallowed hard. "Right," the mechanic's voice cracked, "How could I forget the most important part?" He cleared his throat. "Would you mind if I start again from the beginning?"

Dean nodded happily and snuggled Sammy in a little closer to him.

Much later Caleb sat in his widow seat, sketching out the night scene in front of him. The quiet and the peace of the farm wrapped around him like his grandmother's old quilt. A partial moon hung over hills and softly shimmered off the water of Jim's pond. Across the hall he heard the soft comforting sounds of Dean and Sammy sleeping.

He smiled softly as he glanced through his open door at the moonlight reflecting off of Dean's sandy-blonde hair. Caleb carefully crept his way across the hall. He made sure Deuce was tucked in and took a few moments to watch his peaceful sleep. Sprawled across the bed, Deuce had clutched one arm around his favorite stuffed toy a goofy-looking, stuffed beaver that Bobby had given him. Dean this still was a rare thing. When the five year-old was awake he was like a river rolling, never still.

Caleb looked out the window and watched as the mighty hunter slowly made his ascent to watch over them in the early morning sky.

He thought about Dean's words to Bobby earlier.

Maybe, Deuce was right.

Maybe the most important part of any hunter's story was the love that lifts them up.


End file.
